Simply put, if you have a job, you most likely need disability insurance. The possibility of a disabling illness or injury may seem remote, but statistics paint a different picture. Nearly one in three women can expect to suffer a disability that keeps them out of work for 90 days or longer at some point during their working years. For men, the odds are about one in four. And one worker in seven can expect to be disabled for five or more years before retirement.
For many, a sudden interruption of income could have serious financial consequences. Most of us have some kind of personal debt, typically a mortgage or credit card bills. Would you be able to maintain your standard of living if you were too ill or injured to work for an extended length of time? Half of all home foreclosures in the United States result from disability, as do an alarming number of personal bankruptcies.
The other thing to keep in mind is that an accident or illness that keeps you out of work for a period of time can be very costly. That’s because people who become disabled not only need to continue providing for loved ones, but for themselves as well. A disabling injury or illness could lead to medical bills, modifications to your car or home, or other unforeseen needs that can be quite expensive. For all these reasons, almost anyone who works—whether they’re single, married, with children or without—should consider disability insurance.
